'Human kindness lies behind our baby loss hub'

"Community and human kindness have come together" to help a charity create a baby loss and infertility hub.

Chasing Rainbows was set up in Hull in 2019 by Samantha Catanach, who has experienced five losses.

She believes the new hub, in nearby Brough, is the first of its kind in England.

People who can get there are given support in person, but there is also help for people further afield over the phone, and the charity's pen-pal service has global reach.

According to pregnancy and baby charity Tommy's, in 2023 there were 2,612 stillbirths in the UK. About 8% of all births were premature, and half of all adults in the country say they, or someone they know, have experienced some form of pregnancy or baby loss.

Samantha says there was not much support for her locally when she needed it, which she found "isolating".

Sara Corlyon's second daughter was stillborn at 37 weeks in 2021, and she has had four miscarriages.

She says she struggled to find support locally before hearing about Chasing Rainbows, and the hub will be hugely helpful for parents who try to cope with their experiences.

It is "lonely and isolating", she says. "When I returned to work, people didn't want to speak to me. I got my full nine months' maternity leave [but] most people after that have stories and photos of the baby, and I had none of that."

But getting support from the charity has made her realise there are people who understand.

Samantha says: "As a small local charity we've always hired cafes, and local communities have been very generous to us.

"But we wanted a place of our own for each family to be able to come along and receive the support they deserve."

Local tradespeople and businesses have given their time, money, materials and expertise for free to help the hub get off the ground.

"The community and human kindness have come together to make this happen. We are so proud and so grateful."

Liam East, from East Coats Painting and Decorating, is one of those who stepped in to help.

"[Baby loss] happens more than you think. Until we experienced it ourselves, we didn't know much about it. Since losing a baby we [have] realised how common it is," he says.

"Being able to talk helps everyone, and having this centre now is going to help so many families."

Benny Clegg and Carlton Woodhead-Hanson say the hub is going to make a huge difference to people like them who use the service.

Their daughter died at 32 weeks, and Benny attends a support group once a fortnight.

Carlton, who has been fundraising for the charity and has raised about £2,500, says "it's hard for someone outside".

"They can say all the right things, but if they've never been in the same position it's sometimes not the right thing to say. But everyone in here has been through the same as us, so they can really relate to it."

Benny adds: "Wherever these groups are, wherever Sam is hosting them, she's made them a safe place. But this is going to be the safest now.

"Within these walls is where people will feel they can be the most honest about the journey they've been on, in a really safe place with safe people [who] understand them."

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